Present (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)
by ilna
Summary: Jenna and Elizabeth have lunch together and marvel at their good fortune.


**Notes:** Mari and Sammy – Thank you for the awesome support and feedback. There are really no other people I could imagine doing this with than you. Thanks to SuperSammy for the title help!

Readers and REAL McRollers – Thank you, as always, for your kind words and for sticking with us on this ride. I was particularly overjoyed at how thrilled so many of you were at the decision for the Rollinses and Grandma Ang to stay on the island. Your love for our original characters is incredibly heartwarming and I thank you for it.

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _Present (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)_

Jenna entered the restaurant and looked around, smiling when she saw Elizabeth rising slightly from her seat to wave her over.

"Hi," Jenna said hurriedly when she reached the table. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"You're not late at all," Elizabeth assured her. "I just got here myself."

Jenna took a moment to look around. "This place looks really nice."

"Catherine recommended it."

"Of course," Jenna said with a smile. "She finds the best restaurants. The last time she and I went to lunch, she suggested this little cafe that had the most amazing sweet potato fries."

"Well," Elizabeth said, smiling warmly, "I'm looking forward to making lunch with you a regular occurrence now that we've decided to move to the island permanently."

Jenna smiled broadly. "Me, too. And speaking of that decision, you should know the kids are planning a little party."

Elizabeth grinned. "Are they?"

"They started talking about it right after you and Joseph and Grandma Ang told us about your decision."

Elizabeth's eyes danced with delight. "I have to admit it was quite flattering how excited they were by the news."

Jenna laughed. "I thought Jacob's eyes might actually bug out of his head."

" 'Best news ever!' " Elizabeth quoted, grinning.

"He was so excited he couldn't sit down for an hour after you all left. Just kept bouncing around the living room talking about how great it'll be to have ' _even more_ ' family close by."

Elizabeth's smile softened. "I can't tell you how happy it makes me that the kids think of us as family. Because we are. I hope you do, too."

"I do. I told Catherine the first time I met you that you reminded me of my mom."

"I do?" Elizabeth's face showed her surprise.

"Yes. I couldn't quite put my finger on why then. Just a general 'momness' I called it, but as we spent more time together, it became clear. It's the way you're really present. Whatever we're doing, you're all in. I can tell there's nothing else you're thinking about. Nothing else you'd rather be doing. Especially in private moments like this. The way you listen," she grinned, "like you're doing right now. You're not thinking about what you're going to order, or what you need to do this afternoon. You're just listening. You're completely there, and I really admire that."

Elizabeth wiped a stray tear. "That's an incredibly nice thing to say, Jenna."

"It's true. And it must be something you passed on, because Catherine's like that, too."

Elizabeth smiled.

"My mom was like that," Jenna continued. "It's a good quality for anyone to have, but especially a mom."

"Well, you know a lot about good mom qualities."

Jenna flushed, looking down. "I don't know about that."

"I do," Elizabeth said firmly. "And I am so glad Catherine has you as a role model. As someone she can come to with questions or for advice."

"I'm happy to be there, but now with you staying, she has the absolute best person to come to for advice, without having to navigate the different time zones"

"My staying doesn't mean she won't need your advice, too."

"Maybe not, but having your mother close …" Jenna sighed, smiling softly. "It meant the world to me, and I know it's going to be the same for Catherine."

Elizabeth smiled warmly in response.

They were interrupted briefly by their server who arrived to take their drink order. After he departed, Elizabeth said, "Do you want to look at the menu and decide what you want to eat? I know you have to get back to work."

"I arranged to take a little longer lunch since we had the coverage at the office," Jenna said. "I didn't want to have to rush."

Elizabeth smiled. "I'm glad."

"But I suppose we should decide what to eat."

They examined the menu and made their selections, placing their orders when the server returned with their drinks.

Elizabeth took a sip of her iced tea and said, "You were talking about having your mother close …"

Jenna smiled and nodded. "I don't think I could have made it without her. I was so young when I was pregnant with Cody, and having her help and support … well, like I said, I don't think I could have done it without her." She took a drink of her Diet Coke and shook her head with a little eyeroll. "Jason hated that she was over so much. Used it as an excuse for why he was never there, but it was really the other way around. Jason never needed an excuse to not be around."

"That must have been very tough for you."

"It was," Jenna admitted.

"Men like that, they barely qualify as men. They use any excuse to distract from their own behavior. Their own shortcomings."

"Exactly. It's never their fault," Jenna said, disgust creeping into her voice. "There's always someone or something else to blame. And Mom said he was no good, that he was never going to change, but I didn't want to listen." She sighed. "I had this idea in my head that he was the father of my child, that I chose him and so I should try to make it work. Told myself a lot of things … that fatherhood would change him, or that getting older would, or if he would just find a steady job, or if we had another baby … but he was never going to change, just like Mom said."

Elizabeth nodded kindly. "That was something you had to come to terms with yourself."

"For a long time I was afraid of being a single parent," Jenna admitted. "But one day I suddenly realized I already was, and that letting Jason come in and out of the kids' lives … that was doing way more harm than good."

"I'm sure it was hard, but you put your kids first. You did what was best for them."

"It shouldn't have taken me as long as it did, but it was hard, admitting how wrong I'd been. I felt like …" She paused. "I felt like a failure," she said quietly.

"No," Elizabeth said immediately.

"I don't feel that way now," Jenna added quickly. "But at the time, I did. Even though I knew it was the right decision for my kids. And for myself."

Elizabeth nodded. "You needed to get him out of _your_ life just as much as you needed him out of your kids' lives."

"But as strange as it is to say, I'm glad I made the decision when I did, because if I had done it earlier, I wouldn't have my five amazing kids."

"Of course. And the fact that all five are happy and healthy and as amazing as they are is a testament to you as their mother."

Jenna blushed again. "Thank you. It really means a lot that you think that. I've tried so hard to give them everything they need."

"You've done that and more. I'm sure your mother would be so proud of you."

Jenna sniffed, tears in her eyes. "I wish she were here. She only knew Cody and Casey, and Casey was so young when Mom died. Cody only remembers her a little."

"They know her through you. By the things you tell them, and by the mother you are. That's her legacy."

Jenna gave her a small smile at that. She sighed. "There are so many things I'd like to ask her …"

Elizabeth smiled softly and reached over to touch her hand. "I know it's not the same, but I'm here … if you ever need to talk."

Jenna smiled, indicating the current circumstance. "Clearly." She squeezed Elizabeth's hand, nodding sincerely. "Thank you. That's really … I really appreciate that." She relaxed in her chair, smiling. "Catherine's not the only one who is going to love having you here all the time. So am I. And so are my kids. Joseph and Grandma Ang, too, of course. Having you all here … it's such a blessing for us."

"Us as well," Elizabeth said. "And it all goes back to you."

Jenna looked surprised. "Me?"

"You. Your decision to do the Shop with a Cop event three years ago set this all in motion."

Jenna shook her head in wonder. "I guess that's true." She paused. "You know, I wasn't totally sure about letting the kids do it initially. We didn't sign up. A counselor at Cody's school knew about the fire and contacted the organizers. They called me even though it was just two days before the event."

"Why didn't you want to do it?"

Jenna shrugged. "I thought there must be other families who needed the help more than we did."

"Jenna," Elizabeth chided. "You'd lost everything in a fire."

"I know." She hesitated. "It also felt like … accepting charity was some kind of … failure." Before Elizabeth could speak, she went on. "I know that's not the case at all. It's not a failure to accept help when you need it. But the thought crossed my mind so I didn't say yes right away."

"But eventually you did decide to do it," Elizabeth said.

Jenna smiled. "And it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Because of that decision we met Steve and Catherine and Danny and Grace and Chin and Kono, and through them we met you and Joseph and Grandma Ang, and Mary and Aaron and Joan, and Deb and Nonna and now Angie, of course …" she added with a smile. "The list goes on and on. We are so fortunate, and so grateful."

"That goes both ways," Elizabeth said earnestly. "Joseph and I are so grateful to be your family. Mom, too. And I know Catherine and Steve and everyone else feel the same."

"That might be the most amazing part. You've all given us so much, and yet you all say you get just as much from us."

"Because it's true."

Jenna smiled. "After everything that's happened in the last three and a half years, I finally believe it."

"I'll drink to that," Elizabeth said, raising her iced tea glass.

Chuckling, Jenna did the same with her Diet Coke.

"To family and the future," Elizabeth said.

"Family and the future. I can't wait to see what's next."

* * *

Catherine was sitting on the couch folding laundry out of the basket on the coffee table in front of her when her phone buzzed. She set down the burp cloth in her hands and looked at the screen.

Smiling, she answered the call. "Jenna, hi."

" _Hi,_ " the familiar voice came over the line. " _I'm not interrupting anything, am I?_ "

"Not at all. Just folding some laundry."

Jenna laughed. " _Ahh yes, the endless loads of laundry._ "

Catherine shook her head, chuckling. "It's amazing how one tiny person can use so much."

" _I remember thinking the same thing._ "

"But I bet it's nothing compared to what five kids go through."

" _True, but now those five kids can help fold._ "

Catherine laughed. "That's a good point. It'll be a few years till Angie can manage that." She smiled. "So what's up?"

" _I just got done having lunch with your mom._ "

"Oh, that's right," Catherine said, her eyes lighting happily. "Did you have a good time?"

" _It was wonderful talking with her. She's such an amazing listener. And I didn't know she lost her dad when she was a teenager like I did._ "

Catherine nodded, a touch of sadness and sympathy in her voice. "Yeah."

" _I felt so comfortable talking to her._ " She laughed lightly. " _Just like when I talk to you._ "

"I'm very glad to hear that," Catherine said genuinely.

" _Anyway, I just wanted to thank you, I guess, for sharing her with me, and with us. And your dad and grandma, too. I'm so happy they're going to live on the island._ "

Catherine smiled broadly at the mention of her family's decision to move to Oahu. "Me, too." Her smile softened. "And I'm excited for them because it means they'll get to spend so much more time with you and the kids. I know they're looking forward to that."

" _That's what Elizabeth said._ "

"Well, my mother never says anything she doesn't mean."

" _Just like her daughter._ "

Catherine smiled.

" _So yeah,_ " Jenna said. " _Thank you for sharing them. And for having such an amazing family to share in the first place._ "

"I'm very lucky. My whole family is amazing," Catherine said pointedly. "Not just the one I was born with."

She could hear the smile in Jenna's voice when she responded.

" _Mine, too,_ " she said with feeling. " _Mine, too._ "

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed! Come back on Friday for the celebratory party by Sammy!**

 _Find all our stories (in chronological order!) on our website: marirealmcroll dot wixsite dot com backslash real-mcroll_

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